


Bread Pudding for an Insomniac to Surprise His Sleeping Boyfriend With

by yikesola



Series: Commissions [14]
Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: 2020, Established Relationship, M/M, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:35:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24845398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yikesola/pseuds/yikesola
Summary: Tell yourself you can handle the yeast. Almost believe it.A ficlet about frustration and sweetness.
Relationships: Dan Howell/Phil Lester
Series: Commissions [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1469918
Comments: 12
Kudos: 21





	Bread Pudding for an Insomniac to Surprise His Sleeping Boyfriend With

**Author's Note:**

> This was a commissioned piece for [letgladnessdwell](http://letgladnessdwell.tumblr.com/)💞

_**Bread Pudding for an Insomniac to Surprise His Sleeping Boyfriend With** _

**Sponge:**  
128g all-purpose flour  
7g active dry yeast  
120g milk, lukewarm

 **Bread:**  
6 large eggs, room temperature  
384g. all-purpose flour  
105g granulated sugar  
12g kosher salt  
227g butter, softened, plus more for pans 

**Bread Pudding:**  
¼ cup butter  
2¼ cups milk  
2 eggs  
½ cup granulated sugar  
1 teaspoon vanilla extract  
1 teaspoon cinnamon  
¼ teaspoon salt  
Sprinkle of nutmeg  
Sprinkle of cloves  
6 cups of cubed bread

—

Begin with the bread. 

In a bowl, combine sponge ingredients. Try not to be too warry over the concepts of _sponge_. Tell yourself you can handle the yeast. Almost believe it. Using a spatula, mix until well combined, then cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 45 minutes. See that by now it’s almost three in the morning. Question if those 45 minutes passed faster or slower than you expected. Wait for air bubbles. Laugh because if your boyfriend were here to see this, he’d say the bread was breathing. 

Add the eggs, more flour, sugar, and salt. Hesitate because so far it’s not looking like a disaster. Relish the moment. Mix until well combined.

Read ahead and notice for the first time that the recipe calls for a stand mixer. Feel your stomach drop because you certainly don’t own a stand mixer, let alone one with a goddamn bread hook. 

Try to mix by hand anyways. Notice the recipe said to expect to mix for 15 minutes, and panickedly calculate how long that might be by hand. Remember the time you and Phil attempted meringue without a mixer. Admit defeat. 

Wonder why you didn’t just buy a loaf of brioche when you bought the other ingredients. Grab your phone and order one. Wait an hour. Take comfort in the fact Phil is such a heavy sleeper, the doorbell won’t bother him. 

Notice that the bread pudding recipe is American. Mentally prepare yourself for all the conversions you’re about to have to look up. Decide 350F is close enough to 177C and preheat the oven. 

Heat the milk and butter over medium heat. Don’t burn it. Dear god, don’t burn it. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and a sprinkle of nutmeg and cloves. Worry over that direction _sprinkle of_. Imagine your hands are several sizes smaller than they are so you don’t overdo it. 

Cube your storebought bread and arrange in a casserole dish. Pour the cold mixture, then the hot mixture, over the bread chunks. Get too intimidated by the water bath method the recipe wants you to use. You already faced yeast today, you’ve been brave enough. Bake 40 minutes. Check your phone and see that it’s half-six. Decide it’s too early to bring a serving to bed. Shift from one foot to another as you balance wanting Phil to sleep versus wanting him to eat it warm. 

Hear footsteps behind you. Jump when two familiar arms wrap around your waist. Feel your face grow hot when a sleepy voice says in your ear, “Smells nice in here.”

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading— come say hi on [tumblr](http://yikesola.tumblr.com/post/621562722685960192/bread-pudding-for-an-insomniac-to-surprise-his) !  
> Inspiration from [this piece](http://pankmagazine.com/piece/mastering-the-art-of-french-cooking/). Recipies: [bread pudding](http://www.littlehouseliving.com/old-fashioned-bread-pudding-recipe.html) , [brioche](http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a28848483/brioche-bread-recipe/\(bread\))


End file.
